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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25797364">Lost</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Center_of_the_Galaxy/pseuds/Center_of_the_Galaxy'>Center_of_the_Galaxy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Collar x Malice (Visual Novel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Kazuki cares, hurt ichika, love ending spoilers, spoilers for kei's route, worried kei</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:54:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>645</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25797364</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Center_of_the_Galaxy/pseuds/Center_of_the_Galaxy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He hated himself. It should’ve been him lying in that hospital bed. It never should’ve come down to this.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hoshino Ichika/Okazaki Kei</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Lost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="">
  <p>Kei still had blood on his shirt. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He stood in the middle of the waiting room, his white shirt dyed a dark crimson, his breath coming in fits. He’s SP--he’s never lost his composure like this before. He’s wanted to die for so long that he numbed himself to all the joys that life could bring. He’d been certain that Ichika held his salvation.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But instead of an honorable death, she granted him the passion for life. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>A life together, holding hands with her, kissing her lips, making her blush under his advances. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Now though, she was out of his reach, a team of surgeons working on her to save her life. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>
    <em>I love you.</em>
  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He hadn’t wanted to hear those words like that, with blood on her lips as her skin grew colder under his touch. He’d begged her to stop, to keep her final words in her mouth, saving them for another time where her life wasn’t slipping away.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>But she said them. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And then she was gone, ferried to a world he couldn’t pull her back from. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“How is she?” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yanagi-san,” Kei glanced up, surprised by the gruff voice. Lost in the chaos of events, he hadn’t been aware of the gruff former cop even approaching. He swallowed the lump in his throat, “She’s lost a lot of blood.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Yanagi placed a hand on Kei’s shoulders, grounding him, reassuring him. His eyes moved past the SP officer, toward the double doors that Ichika was behind. He sighed, “I sent Minoto to get her brother. He should be here.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Kazuki,” The name felt heavy on his lips, “He will never forgive me.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Yanagi shook his head, “These things happen in our line of work. Ichika-chan knew that.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Ichika!” A voice screamed and Kei’s gaze darted over to Kazuki, rushing through the doors of the Emergency room.</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Sir, please quiet down, this is a hospital!” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“My sister,” Kazuki’s voice cracked, “She’s been shot. She’s here. I need to see her.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The nurse smile sympathetically at him, “She should be coming out of surgery soon. Please wait here for an update.”  </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kazuki seemed so small now, so quiet and worried, much different from the gruff brother that Ichika fussed over. He meet Kei’s eyes and rushed over, slammed Kei against the wall, “You bastard! You were supposed to keep her safe! If she dies, I swear I’ll kill you myself!” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Kazuki-kun!” Mineo shouted, pulling the teen back, “This won’t solve anything.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kei sank to his knees, prostrating himself before the younger brother, “I’m sorry. If I could trade her life for mine, I would!” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kazuki just scoffed, “Words make no difference.”</p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Kazuki,” Yanagi’s voice brought the moody’s teen’s gaze to his face, “Your sister needs you to be stronger than this.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>That seemed to pierce through the younger brother’s thick skull and he nodded, stepping away. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Family of Ichika Hoshino?” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kei rose to his feet, watching Kazuki’s relieved face. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Ichika will live.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>And Kei felt his world turning again. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <hr/>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Okazaki.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The haggard SP officer looked up, seeing Kazuki’s face before him. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Kazuki-kun.” Kei bowed once more, though his heart ached. All he had wanted to do was go into Ichika’s hospital room and hold her hand. He wanted to reassure himself that she was alive and she would recover. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yanagi said you brought her here.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“Yeah.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“. . . thank you.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>The younger brother pushed open the door and Kei felt his breath catch. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kazuki smirked, “Go see her.” </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>Kei didn’t need any other incentive. He moved into the cramped hospital room, hearing the reassuring beating of the heart rate monitor beside Ichika’s bed. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>“I’m here, Ichika.” He took her hand in his, frowning at how pale she still was. He intertwined their fingers and took a seat by her. He wouldn’t leave her. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He would never leave her again. </p>
</div><div class="">
  <p>He smiled softly, “I love you, Ichika.” </p>
</div>
  </div></div>
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